Fall By the Numbers
by Emerald-Shadow-Knight
Summary: Shark Racket's life is falling apart. First a divorce, then a remarriage, then a pregnancy...It doesn't help that they're all happening so close in time, and he's the pregnant one. Rated T for implied subjects that may be rather disturbing to some readers. Title has been changed.
1. One is the Loneliest Number

This is possibly going to be one of the weirdest stories I've ever written.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Sims 3 franchise. But given what I intend to write, would you really want me to?

* * *

"What do you mean 'no more' ?! I am your wife! You should give me spending money when I ask for it! Besides, you're loaded! It shouldn't be a problem for you!"

"Silver, I'm sorry, but that's not any reason for you to go out and spend the family funds like you see fit. I think you need to cut back on those nice shopping sprees of yours..."

"The hell I should!"

The two were arguing again. Shark could hear them from the other side of the hall. Lately, Dennis and Silver's blissful marriage had taken a rather harsh left turn. Now all they did lately was bicker about Silver's spending habits.

He looked over at the bed his sister Lolly occupied, surprised that she could sleep through the yelling. The shouting escalated, causing Shark to cover his ears with a pillow. Through the obstructions, he heard even louder shouting, an unknown proclamation, and a door slamming.

After that, the noise stopped. Shark took that as his cue to get some sleep, in case the mess started up again.

...

The next morning, Shark and Lolly had the day off from school. Lolly had taken the opportunity to sleep in, but Shark decided to take his chance and investigate what happened last night.

As expected, his parent's room was a mess. One of the drawers had been forcibly pulled out and emptied. Biting his lip and assuming the worst, Shark went downstairs.

"Good morning?" The uncertain way he said it made him worry that no one else was home. The house was large, but quiet. When the boy got down to the kitchen, he saw his father sitting at the table. A bottle of rather expensive-looking beer was in front of him.

"Dad?" Dennis looked up, seeing his son standing in the doorway. "You all right?"

"Define 'all right', son." The older Racket took hold of his beer and took a swig. "I suppose I don't need to tell you what transpired last night, do I?" Shark looked down, well aware of the fighting that happened.

"...Where's Mom?" Suddenly, asking that question didn't seem to be the right idea. Dennis looked into his beer bottle and sighed deeply.

"She's at the hotel trying to cool off, but boy..." Dennis made a face like what he was about to say caused him physical pain. "After the events of last night, your mother and I have decided to live in separate houses."

"What?" Shark looked genuinely confused. "That...That's not funny, Dad! This is just going to blow over like all those other times, right?"

Dennis looked over at his son, seeming to regret dragging his own children into this. "Not this time, son. This time, it's over."

"Over? Like...divorce?" Dennis solemnly nodded. "But can't you just try to talk it out like before?"

"I'm afraid that won't be an option this time." Dennis sighed, standing up and patting his son on the shoulder. "But before you go and blame yourself for this mess, boy, this was probably happening long before you were born."

...

"Where are we going to go?" Shark watched as his father threw their suitcases into the back of their van. "We can't stay here?"

"Your grandpa's found a nice place for us," Dennis said as he closed the back door. "Not nearly as nice as this place, but it's better than most of the shacks in town." He looked over at his two children and cringed. "It'll help to make a fresh start."

"But why can't we stay here?!" Lolly whined. "I like it here! I don't want another house!" The girl stamped her feet and cried, like she thought that was going to fix the situation. It took a hard glare from both her father and her brother to get her to stop.

Dennis shook his head. "It's out of my hands, child. This is what your mother wanted. Got an issue with that? Talk with her." With that, the father motioned for his children to get into the van.

After some initial bickering, the teens ended up with Lolly in the much-coveted front seat, and Shark getting the back. All three looked over at the gigantic mansion they once called home. They saw the two eldest relatives and Bill standing in the front, watching them leave.

"At least I don't have to live with that walking defect anymore," Dennis muttered as he pulled out of the driveway. The three watched as they passed the amazing, opulent houses they were familiar with.

It seemed like nothing more than a vivid dream. But yet, it was very real. The life they knew had begun to splinter apart.

* * *

I have too many Sims fanfics I need to work on. But I guess one more won't hurt too much.

-Emerald-Shadow-Knight


	2. A Tango Takes Two

Disclaimer: Sims 3 belongs to EA/Maxis.

* * *

The newest house was most likely about a third the size of their old home. The three Rackets got out of their van, and the two teens looked at the front of the house while Dennis grabbed their suitcases.

"Oh, come on! We have to live in this shack! Didn't I have a closet that was bigger than this?" Already, Lolly was complaining about the size of the house, even before stepping foot into it.

"Now, Lolly," Dennis said as he walked in between them, "beggars can't be choosers. Be thankful we're not living in a shack in the outskirts of town like your Uncle Dudley." The two kids cringed at the mention of their estranged uncle. "I'd say this is quite nice, don't you think?"

"But I...!" Shark silenced his sister by clapping a hand over her mouth. Besides her getting annoying, he didn't want her to ruin what could possibly be a good thing.

With that, the two followed Dennis into the house.

...

"This place stinks!" Lolly repeated what her exact thoughts of their new house was, for at least the thousandth time that night. Shark tried to cover his ears with his pillow to block her out.

They had only lived in the house for a few hours, and already she had nit-picked everything to death. Now she lay in a bed, whining about everything all over again.

Given the short notice under which they had moved, dinner had been oddly plain. That seemed to have been the only time Lolly hadn't complained. Never in Shark's short life did he actually enjoy a simple bowl of chicken noodle soup.

That very soup now, however, felt heavy in his stomach. He still couldn't believe that his parents were getting divorced. Admittedly, it had not always been smooth sailing between his parents, but never had it gotten this bad.

During another particularly long rant from his sister, Shark finally told Lolly to shut up. He felt it was better to be alone with his thoughts. But no matter how much he tried to get to sleep, his mind kept him awake.

Looking over at the clock, Shark figured that he had time to wander outside before curfew. He didn't understand why he needed to be in bed by 9:30 anyway. He remembered his father was likely at work anyway.

Quietly, he slipped out of his bed and got dressed, walking out in a loose shirt and pajama pants.

...

Twinbrook at night was surprisingly cold this time of year. Shark wished he'd put on a jacket before he left. He was at least thankful the moon was out tonight.

Despite not seeing anyone else out at this hour, he oddly felt safe. He knew the town well enough to know where he was going. It wasn't often that he ventured out to the other side of town, though.

Last he remembered, the place was mostly swampland. There were a few buildings, but he'd never been in them. He approached one of them now, thinking it to be empty.

Shark was surprised to see someone inside. It looked to be an abandoned train station, so he had no idea who'd want to be in there. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Shark found the entrance and went inside.

The man inside was smoking, giving off what little light there was in the room. Shark hadn't recalled ever seeing him in town before.

"Hey." The eyes that looked up at him didn't seem human. The yellow color, and the way they squinted at him, almost seemed animalistic.

"Who the fuck are you?" The raspy voice that responded sent chills down his spine. The smoker almost seemed to be looking him over. "Usually, I can actually get some peace here. But if a bunch of fucking teenagers come by..."

Shark waved a hand to stop him. "It's just me, I..." The boy looked down at the ground, cursing his lack of footwear. "I wanted to get some fresh air to clear my head. Stuff happening that I don't like." Shark deemed it best to share as little details about his life as possible with a stranger.

"Aww, what happened? Someone take your girl from ya?" The sneering tone made the boy grit his teeth.

"No...If you really must know, my parents are getting divorced." The stranger then approached him, before placing a hand under his chin.

"Is that so? In that case..." The stranger put out his cigarette, leaving the two of them in pitch black darkness. It was at this point that Shark began to panic. "You know what can help with that?"

"No, what?" Shark felt a pair of lips draw dangerously close to his ear, hearing a licking noise before the words came out. The man chuckled darkly when he gave his rather perverse answer:

"A good hard fuck." Shark's eyes widened, and he began to step back towards the door. He gulped, knowing full well what this kind of person thought about.

The boy tried his best to keep his footing. He felt himself push back up against the door that he came in through. He lost exact sight of where the stranger was.

"Nah, man, I'm serious. If that ain't what you want...Or is it 'cause you ain't legal?" Shark knew enough about certain terms to understand what he was getting at.

"I'm legal! I turned eighteen last month. I just..." He shrugged. To be honest, his first sexual experience could help get his mind off things. He just didn't know if giving it up to a stranger was a good idea. "Well, I don't know you, and..."

"Sinbad."

The boy looked up. "What?"

"I said my name's Sinbad," the man said as he flicked his lighter on. "Said you didn't know me, so now you know me." He began to turn around and go deeper into the station. "Wanna know more? Come on."

Shark was still wary of this man named Sinbad. He rationalized to himself, though, that he could make a break for it as soon as things got ugly. Forcing himself into motion, he followed him.

...

"I...I didn't know anybody actually lived here," Shark said as he saw the clearly out of place room. Where the rest of the station was plain, and abandoned-looking, this room was filled with numerous posters, decorations, and a lot of other things.

"'Live here'? Nah. 'Home away from home when my roommate's being a stuck-up douche'? Sure." Sinbad flopped onto his bed in the middle, reverting his attention to the television propped up on an old milk crate. The smell of incense and tobacco lingered in the air.

A rather dim light bulb hung from the ceiling. The most of Sinbad's features Shark could see came from the glare the TV gave off. A badly-made table off to the side held an ashtray and cigarette pack, along with a box of condoms and a bottle of lubricant.

Shark could also see Sinbad was actually wearing very little in the way of clothing. Besides a black sleeveless shirt and gray shorts, he was showing a large amount of skin.

When Sinbad realized that the boy was still here, he readjusted, turned the TV off, and patted a spot on the bed. Shark wasn't too sure, but he thought he saw Sinbad licking his lips.

"Made up your mind yet? Can I fuck you or not?" Shark knew that he was going to have to ask for a ride home, given that he was likely out past curfew. He was also afraid that if he didn't submit to Sinbad's desires, he'd be in for much worse.

Shark approached the other side of the bed, before kneeling onto it. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he slowly began to pull off his shirt, and threw it off to the side. Sinbad's eyes widened, apparently not believing his luck. Shark looked off to the side, trying not to make eye contact, then whispered,

"Go ahead."

* * *

I may try to continue my other Sims fanfics. Keywords: may try.

-Emerald-Shadow-Knight


	3. Three's a Crowd

To the anonymous review: Sorry to say, it's...it's going to happen like that. So either stop reading or endure it as best you can. (If it's any consolation, this isn't the first story I've written this for. Just pretend mods are in effect, or...something.)

Disclaimer: Sims 3 does not belong to me.

* * *

Warm, naked, and sticky. That was how Shark woke up a few hours later. He felt the bed sheet covering him from the waist down. Sinbad was asleep beside him, snoring. Shark couldn't help but notice he was drooling.

It wasn't until Shark got to his feet that he felt pain from somewhere in his body. The jolt was so bad that he gasped and doubled over. He was used to pain, sometimes he exercised without stretching first. This agony was on a whole new level, however. Sinbad was clearly not joking when he said "good hard fuck".

Attempting to ignore the pain, Shark tried to locate his clothing, which had been thrown off in several directions. Though he found his shirt and pants, his underwear was nowhere to be seen. Figuring he could just call for them later, Shark quietly got dressed.

"You still here?" The younger man looked over to see Sinbad had woken up, quite angry-looking.

"I..." Shark scratched his head, embarrassed and upset at the sudden change in mood.

"I was just about to go," he said in an attempt to save face. Sinbad then made shooing motions, as if to get him out as soon as possible.

Now the pain Shark felt was that of rejection. He had given himself to this man, and now he felt used and thrown away. Without saying another word, Shark left the room and got back to his house as soon as possible.

...

School dragged on and on. Shark was thankful that he heard the last bell of the day. Getting his homework, the boy forced himself to move out of his seat and out of the building.

He was still thinking about what had happened a few hours before. Shark was actually worried that the other students could smell Sinbad on him. He didn't want anyone to think that he was smoking or anything like that. He was still in pain from the encounter.

The bus ride home was quiet. Shark ignored Lolly talking to her friends. The pangs of hurt were making it uncomfortable to sit down. He made it a point to go home and try to get something to comfort him.

When the bus dropped the two off, Lolly wasted no time in getting to the door first. Shark ignored her when he reached it. When the two got inside, they saw their father talking to a woman neither of them knew.

"Oh, looks like my kids are home," Dennis said when he finally noticed them come in. "Shark, Lolly! Say hello to Blaise. She's one of our neighbors now."

Blaise stood up, smiling and tucking her stringy orange hair behind her ears. "Nice to meet the two of ya! Your daddy's said some real nice things 'bout his kids." She approached them both and held out her hands.

Reluctantly, Shark and Lolly performed the handshakes. While doing so, another jolt of pain shot through Shark's backside, causing him to wince. This did not go unnoticed by Blaise.

"Hey, you all right there, Sharky?" Worried that telling the truth to a virtual stranger was dangerous, Shark thought of something he hoped was convincing:

"Overdid it in gym class." At hearing that, Blaise grinned, and ruffled his hair.

"Well, dang! Nice to see someone who at least shares my love of working out!" Shark tried to return her grin as best he could.

...

Later, after Blaise had left, Shark tried to focus on his homework. He asked Dennis before he left if it were okay to have something soft to sit on. Dennis was all too happy to oblige.

But rather than figure out square roots, Shark was instead thinking of Sinbad. He leaned back into his chair, wondering what he was doing right now. He wished he'd at least gotten his phone number.

Given the way he acted before Shark left, though, perhaps that was for the best.

"Dad's got a new girlfriend," Lolly groaned as she came into their room. "Not even finalized with his divorce yet! Isn't this infidelity?!" Instead of honoring her questions with answers, Shark diverted his attention to doodling anime characters onto his homework.

...

That night, Shark crept into the main room of the house, where he saw Dennis writing down something on a piece of paper. His footsteps alerted his father that they were both awake.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, boy?" Dennis looked the paper over, before setting it aside.

"I can't sleep." Shark sat onto the couch, pulling his legs up to his chest. "A whole bunch of things keep me awake." He looked around for the television remote. Not finding it, he instead got up and turned the TV on by hand. Shark kept the volume down so as not to wake Lolly.

"You still thinking about the divorce? I've told you, this was a long time coming." Dennis opened the fridge, taking out several eggs and other fixings. "Besides, don't you think Blaise is a nice lady? The two of you seemed to get along with her."

"She's okay." Shark watched the current show he had on while the smell of omelets began to waft through the air. After a couple of minutes, he turned to look at his father. "Hey Dad? When was the first time you had sex?"

Dennis was about to take the first bite of his meal when he stopped. "That's kind of a loaded question, ain't it, boy?" Realizing that his son still wanted an answer, Dennis sighed and set his fork down.

"I wasn't much older than you. Early twenties, at the most. It was your grandfather's idea, before I met your mother. Some kind of rite of passage bullshit." He cut his omelet up before continuing. "What brought this up?"

Shark shrugged. "Just curious, I guess."

...

A few weeks had passed since Dennis and his children moved in. Since then his divorce was finalized, and happily began dating Blaise.

Shark also noticed a few changes with himself as well. He had been throwing up a lot more lately, along with eating some unusual food. Lolly had nearly gagged the other day when he consumed a bowl of ice cream covered with hot sauce.

He had a sinking feeling he knew what this meant. What puzzled him was how it were even possible. But to make sure, he ended up taking a trip to the store. Normally, he didn't think he'd ever walk into the aisles he did.

After grabbing a pregnancy test, Shark wandered into another aisle, catching sight of Sinbad. Against his rational thinking, he called out to him. Predictably, he didn't receive a response. Feeling like he wasted his time, the boy turned and went the other direction.

On the way to the checkout, Shark found a teddy bear that could only be called adorable. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to be a little prepared, he bought that along with his tests.

...

That night, after Dennis went to work and Lolly went to bed, Shark used one of his pregnancy tests. The teddy bear he bought now sat next to him against the wall.

He didn't know why he even bothered. It wasn't supposed to be possible. Last he checked, male bodies weren't in possession of the right organs to carry children. But then, there had been stranger things happening in Twinbrook.

Waiting three minutes was agonizing. Had Shark not been concerned about waking Lolly up, he'd have put on some music. Instead, he busied himself by playing with his new toy. The bear seemed to look up at him with its unblinking eyes.

Shark couldn't remember if he ever had any toys as a baby. He likely did, but he quickly outgrew them. If it turned out there was a child inside him, he at least wanted him or her to have something to play with.

After waiting three minutes, Shark looked over at the test. The two pink lines said it all.

"Oh, jeez..." The boy set his bear aside and buried his face into his hands. Knowing full well that he was carrying Sinbad's child, he let loose a few sobs.

Scared that the damning evidence left out would alert someone, Shark threw the pregnancy test into the trash, shoving it down under some discarded napkin wrappers.

The news was enough to make him sick again. Fighting the urge to vomit, Shark picked up his teddy bear and started getting ready to go to bed.


	4. Four is Death

Disclaimer: I still don't own Sims 3.

* * *

"Explain yourself, missy!" Shark had never heard his father so angry before. "You really thought you could keep this a secret from me?"

"But I...!"

"You're not even out of high school yet, Lolly! How in the hell are you going to raise a child?!"

"But I'm not pregnant! That's not my test! I don't know whose it is!" The shouting had fully roused Shark from his slumber. He sat up and listened as Dennis shouted at his daughter.

"Don't you lie to me! You think I like it when one of my own children lies to me? Who's the father? How long has this been going on?!"

Shark gently lay a hand onto his slightly protruding stomach. He hadn't really noticed it before until now. He rubbed it, wondering if the baby could hear any of the outside voices.

"It's okay," the boy whispered, "Grandpa's just mad at Aunt Lolly. Nothing to worry about." After a bit more shouting, the door opened. Shark quickly fell back and feigned sleep. He heard Lolly sniffling and sobbing, along with a few drawers being opened.

...

When Shark was finally up for the day, he noticed a very empty chair at the breakfast table. The chair normally taken by his sister.

"Hey, where's Lolly?" The question caused Dennis to take on a grim expression.

"There had been a...Well, Lolly seems to have gotten too involved with a boy at school. So as a face-saving measure, I've decided to send her off to boarding school. For now, she's with your grandparents."

Knowing his pregnancy got his sister sent away, Shark felt as if he couldn't keep it a secret for much longer.

"It's funny, though. Lolly certainly didn't look pregnant. She's either really good at hiding it, or she's not too far along. Even I know she'd get some weight on her by now."

"Like this?" Before Dennis could ask what he meant, Shark stood up from his seat and lifted up his shirt. The bump he displayed caused his father's eyes to widen. "And before you ask, I don't know how it's possible, either."

Dennis looked in shock at the sight before him. His daughter was in fact telling the truth. He then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I sent away the wrong kid..." He then looked sternly up at his son, his face betraying no other emotion. "So do _you _know who the father is, boy?"

Pulling his shirt back down, Shark nodded. After the way he'd been treated, he was all too happy to disclose the name of his child's father. "He said his name was Sinbad."

Dennis raised an eyebrow. "Sinbad, you say?" He then stood up, a little too rigidly. "Will you come with me, boy?"

...

Shark was nervous over what his father had planned. He had been dragged along to some dingy building. Somewhere off to the side, he saw three people playing basketball. Immediately, he recognized one of them as Sinbad.

As Shark followed Dennis, he could tell from the scowl and way he walked that his father was clearly out for blood. He approached the players, making his way towards Sinbad.

The redhead barely had any time to react before being grabbed and slammed against the wall. Shark watched nervously as Dennis glared at him, the other two players quickly running off.

"Mind telling me what compelled you to knock up my child, sir?" Sinbad was gasping for air, trying to break free from the other man's grip. "Were you that desperate to climb the ranks at your job? Trying to make your mark in the family?"

It was at this point that Sinbad managed to choke out, "What?" He looked over at Shark, his face changing color. "He's what?" When Dennis let go, Sinbad fell to the ground, gasping and coughing.

Shark felt the two slits for eyes looking at him, then at the swell bulging underneath his shirt. Getting to his feet, Sinbad approached him. Instead of walking towards him, Shark pulled back. He looked over at his father for help.

"Your old man ain't fucking with me? You're having my kid?" Sinbad looked as if he'd taken a swig of vinegar. The color drained out of his face. "Well, shit, why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"I tried!" Shark's fear was now turning into anger. "You never left me a number to call you with. I called out to you the other day, and you didn't say hi." Sinbad's hand took a hold of Shark's wrist, which Shark shook to get him off.

"Well, dude, if a baby's involved..."

"Don't." Shark waved Sinbad off. "Don't get involved just because you think you need to." He looked over at Dennis again, indicating he was ready to go back home. The two Rackets then made their way back to the car, leaving Sinbad behind.

...

That night, dinner was a quiet meal of pizza and cheesecake. Shark ate while watching television, while Dennis had his meal standing up. The older Racket had taken the night off, to be there for his son just in case.

"Dad?" Shark said as he kept his eyes glued to the program. "Do you think I should've given Sinbad a chance? I mean, he did seem to want to get involved when he found out..."

Dennis shrugged. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, boy. You're eighteen now. I ain't going to dictate on what you can or can't do. I am rather disappointed in you for sleeping with a man you barely knew. But do what you must."

Then, Dennis walked over and put a hand on his son's belly. "I actually don't mind the idea of a grandbaby this soon. It's the rest of the family you got to worry about. You know how upset your mother's gonna be when she finds out?"

Shark shook his head and smiled a little. "But I'm guessing she won't be as lenient?" The boy stood up and let his father get a better feeling.

"You bet your ass."

* * *

...I don't know when next update is.

-Emerald-Shadow-Knight


	5. Fifth Avenue

Just...yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sims 3.

* * *

Sitting in the examination room was excruciating. Shark was at least thankful that he had his father with him. That was also awkward, though, given he had to wear a hospital gown that was opened in the back.

"Don't be embarrassed, boy," Dennis said as he watched Shark trying to cover himself, "This isn't the first time I've seen your naked ass. Besides, I've seen worse. Imagine your Uncle Bill naked in public, and you've got my early years." Both Racket men grimaced at the image.

When the doctor finally came in, Shark became nervous all over again. He propped himself up and spread his legs as he wondered how this was going to work.

"So what exactly are you going to do, doc? I don't know where it's supposed to go and-" Shark's question was answered when he felt something cold on his body. His eyes widened, and he clutched at his father's arm for support. He didn't dare look down.

...

Ten weeks, according to the doctor. Shark had been carrying Sinbad's child inside him for two and a half months. He wasn't quite far enough along to know what the gender was, but he decided to keep that a secret anyway.

He was at least thankful to get some lunch out of it later on.

"You did good in there, boy," Dennis said as he passed the ketchup to Shark. "Trust me, when you reach my age, you'll probably have to get prostate exams. At least then you'll be prepared for that."

After squirting ketchup onto his chicken strips, Shark tried to take a bite of his meal. As soon as he did, he felt tears come to his eyes. He tried wiping them away, but the more he did, the more tears that came.

"Dad...We saw the heartbeat today, right? I can't..." In an instant, Shark was sobbing in front of his father, and anyone at the diner. "I don't know the first thing about babies." He felt his father's hand on his shoulder.

"Well, how do you think your mother and I felt when we were going to have you? And quit crying. You're starting to make a scene."

"Sorry," the boy said as he sniffled and used a napkin as a tissue.

...

"I figured you'd want to look through these aisles at some point," Dennis said as he led Shark into the baby section of the store. Immediately, Shark was taken aback at just how much stuff could be used for babies.

He remembered the teddy bear he bought a while back, and how it wouldn't begin to help prepare for the birth of a child. He looked at all the toys and equipment, and started feeling inferior.

"It's all so expensive," he whispered, trying to keep in together. "Is taking care of a baby expensive?"

Dennis nodded. "I'm afraid so. With you and your sister, it was no problem, though. Now that we're having to actually work for the money, well..." He shrugged, and at that moment his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" The older Racket man's face lit up. "Well, hello there, Miss Blaise! Oh, no, I'm just shopping with my son. Is there something you needed?" As he talked, Shark wandered off to look at the other baby supplies.

The price of diapers and clothes was horrifying. Turning away from them, Shark then lay his eyes on a rather beautiful crib. He was amazed at how well-made it was, even if he was no expert on them.

"What do you think?" He whispered to his stomach. He knew he wasn't going to get any answer, but he hoped it was something the baby would like. Shark looked up to see his father hanging up right at that moment.

"Dad!" A little smile tugged at his lips. "I want this one."

...

Upon returning home with their purchases, Shark watched as his father and Blaise assembled the crib he bought and carried it into his room.

"Dang!" Blaise made a show of rubbing her muscles. "That had to have cost you a pretty penny."

The two men shook their heads. "Nothing I couldn't afford," Dennis said. He then leaned forward to her and smooched her cheek. "Got any idea where you want to go tonight, beautiful?"

Shark left the room, leaving his father to flirt with his new girlfriend alone. He started to get ready for dinner when the phone rang.

"Hello?" He'd expected one of his grandparents or his sister to answer.

"Shark, is your father there? I need to discuss alimony with him." The boy rubbed his stomach as he heard the two adults happily suggesting date ideas to each other in the other room.

"Hi, Mom. He's busy right now. Can you call back later?" He then heard the other line hang up without so much as a goodbye.

...

Dennis and Blaise were still out on the town when Shark went to bed that night. He slept fitfully, with numerous frightening dreams. One in particular was difficult to wake up from.

It involved several doctors laughing maniacally while slashing his stomach open. He begged them to stop, but it only served to encourage them. His father was nowhere to be found.

When Shark finally did wake up, he did so screaming. It took him several minutes to calm down, before realizing that his bed was wet. To his horror, it smelled like fresh urine.

As quickly as he could, Shark took hold of the sheets and ripped them off, carrying them into the laundry room. He fumbled with the settings, and then threw anything soiled into the washing machine.

Naked and smelly, the boy wandered back to his room, searching for a pair of fresh shorts. He then went into the bathroom and tried washing the urine off of himself.

Outside, it had begun to rain heavily, including thunder and lightning. Shark tried to keep himself from bumping into anything in the cold and pitch-dark house. He made his way back into the laundry room and waited.

It felt like an eternity before Shark heard the front door open. He then heard his father cursing and walking around. Knowing that he wouldn't know he was up otherwise, Shark called for his father.

Dennis came in to see his son sitting on the floor, sobbing. Shark was shaking and trembling, holding his stomach.

"Dad, I...I think I wet the bed," He choked out before reaching up towards his father. He swallowed before he got to his feet and hugged Dennis. "I had a bad dream, and I wet the bed, and I...Oh, Daddy..."

Shark felt a hand on the top of his head, followed by his father murmuring into his hair:

"It's been a real long time since you called me Daddy, boy. Sounds like all this is really getting to you. Don't worry, I'm home now." Dennis took his shivering son back to his room, and comforted him throughout the storm.

* * *

Next chapter may have a timeskip.

-Emerald-Shadow-Knight


	6. Six Figure Payout

Disclaimer: Sims 3 belongs to EA.

* * *

Shark was quietly looking at the newest set of sonogram pictures. Though he was given the option to find out the gender at this point, Shark decided to keep it a secret. He looked at them while he listened to Dennis and Blaise talk about wedding plans.

In all honesty, Shark was surprised when Dennis announced he was engaged to Blaise. The two had only been dating for a few months. Then again, Shark wasn't wanting to ruin his father's happiness.

When the two left to start their wedding registry at the store, Shark got up to check the mail. It was the usual: Bills, a letter from Lolly, and a magazine subscription. Then he found himself holding an unfamiliar envelope.

Upon opening it, he found himself holding quite a bit of money, about a thousand in varying bill amounts. Instead of a return address there were the words 'for the kid' scrawled on the front.

"Sinbad..." Shark frowned. Even after stating he didn't need to get involved, Sinbad was still willing to help out.

...

"Send it back to him," Shark muttered flatly as he gave the money to his father. Dennis was dumbfounded when he saw just how much there was. "I don't need his filthy money."

"Are you sure, boy? Because this is practically a fortune!" Shark merely nodded.

"I know he's just trying to save face. Sending me money just makes him look good." Dennis gave him a questioning look, before he chuckled.

"Somehow I doubt that, boy. I have to see that man on a near-daily basis. I'll tell you now: that's not why he's doing this. He's doing it because he feels it's the right thing to do."

Dennis looked over the sizable wad of cash again. "Still, I'd like to know how in the hell he managed to get so much so soon. But if you want me to give it back to him the next time I see him..."

"No. Just...do something with it, I guess. I don't know, use it to fund your wedding, or something."

...

The house was quiet. Shark had been craving some fried rice, which his father had gladly went out to get. He was just about to doze off to sleep when he heard the phone ring.

"Yeah?"

"Well hey there, future stepson of mine!" Blaise's happy voice rang through on the other end. "Is your daddy home?"

"Oh, hi, Blaise. No, he's not. Did you need something?"

"Nah, just thought I'd call and see what's up. But since he ain't home, I can call back later." Shark realized that this was the prime opportunity to get to know Blaise a little better.

"Oh, you don't have to! Um...How was your day?" Thus began an hour long phone call involving small talk and comparing exercise regimens. It was awkward, given Blaise was not yet married to Dennis. Shortly before she hung up, though, Shark was caught off guard by something.

"Huh? Something wrong, Sharky?"

"Nothing, just..." Shark rubbed his stomach, wondering if he'd just imagined it. "I think I felt the baby kick."

"Oh, right! You're gonna have yourself a kid, right? Dennis told me 'bout that." Blaise chuckled before continuing. "He's real excited about becoming a grandpa. He's just as excited about it as he is 'bout the engagement! How you holding up with it?"

"Pretty well." After they talked a little more, Blaise hung up, leaving Shark to make do with his time before Dennis returned.

...

Lolly's letters seemed to become more frequent. Most recently, they detailed about what the two's father was planning. There was also the occasional plea to be brought back home. These were the letters Dennis often ignored.

"It's not every day a girl like her gets sent off to such a prestigious private school. I paid good money for her to be there, and no way I'm wasting it now!" He said once.

In the time she'd been gone, her side of the room had been converted into a sort of nursery. Nothing fancy or frilly, but still ideal for a baby. A box sitting off to the side was full of newly-bought clothes.

Shark picked up the teddy bear he'd bought himself, and gently pressed it to his own stomach. As though it could sense it there, the baby began kicking.

"You're an energetic one, aren't you? And what's with the obsession with Chinese food? I'm gonna get fat." Indeed, nearly all of Shark's outfits no longer fit him. He had resorted to stretch pants and baggy shirts instead.

"I blame Sinbad. Does he eat a lot of Chinese food? Probably not."

...

"Sweet merciful crap, boy," Dennis said as he watched his pregnant son practically devour the large bowl of rice in front of him. "You're eating more than your grandma did when she was trying to self-induce a case of the shits. You ever try slowing down?"

"Hm?" Shark looked up, his cheeks full, and shook his head. "Should I?"

"Well, you don't want to choke, do you?" Taking the advice, Shark stopped taking such big bites. He was about to ask how Dennis' day was when the phone rang.

"Hello?" The older Racket man's smile faded after a moment. "Oh, hello there, Silver. Well, I don't think this is the best time to discuss that..." Dennis stuck a finger into his ear to hear better. Shark listened in as well as he could.

"Silver, I'm sorry, but I don't think that's going to work at this point. You were the one that filed for divorce, which I gladly granted you. You can't simply go back on it, and...Oh, I see why. I highly doubt threats will work at this point."

Shark stood up and walked over to where his father was. He could hear his mother shrieking on the other end. He mouthed the words "does she know?" and pointed to his stomach. Dennis read his son's lips and shook his head. Shark then motioned to have his father hand him the phone.

"...And then I'm going to jam a cactus up your ass and pour hot sauce down your throat! Then I'm going to-" Shark waited until Silver stopped with the threats, then began talking.

"Hey, Mom?"

Silver's tirade evaporated the instant she heard her son's voice. "Oh! Shark! What is it?"

Shark smirked a little, before taking a deep breath and saying, "You're gonna be a grandma!" He then quickly hung up before she could start again.


	7. Lucky Seven

Disclaimer: Same as always.

* * *

"So ya thought of any names yet?" Shark looked down at the pair of miniature socks sitting in a yarn basket. He was spending time with Blaise at home before the ceremony began.

"No...not yet." Blaise looked to be the picture of rugged beauty, with her wedding dress not quite covering her muscular arms and tattoos. She reached out and placed a hand on her soon-to-be stepson's growing belly.

"Well, you should hurry up! That kid's only got, what, eight weeks before it's done cooking? It'll be here before ya know it!" Blaise then drew her hand away and smiled. She then looked over at her future stepdaughter, who had come back from private school for the occasion.

"Now, don't you look all sulky, Lolly. Today's a happy day! Happy, happy!" Lolly remained sour-faced, directing her glower mostly at her brother. She then looked at the bump that housed her future niece or nephew.

"That thing got me sent away!" She pointed at Shark's baby bump as though it were a hideous deformation. "You just had to go and get yourself knocked up like some kind of slut!"

"Now, Lolly," Blaise sternly said as she readjusted her veil, "no need to call your brother names. He didn't plan to get pregnant, right?"

Lolly just got even more infuriated. "Don't tell me what to do! You're not my mother! I want to live with Mom! My real mom!"

Now it was Shark's turn to show anger. "You mean the Mom that essentially abandoned us? The one that was only with Dad for money? Sure, go ahead! Go live with her!" The boy then pointed a finger at her direction. "Go live with the lady that doesn't give a damn about us! Forget Dad marrying an actually nice woman that cares about us!"

Hearing her brother's rant against her, caused Lolly to quell her fury, if only a little. "She only married him for money! Blaise is marrying Dad because she loves him! If you got a problem with that, tough! Don't be in the wedding then!"

Shark then sat down next to Blaise again. He realized that she had her head in her hands, sighing deeply.

...

"Sorry I ruined your wedding, Blaise," Shark whispered as he led her down the aisle. He ignored the curious stares of his relatives. "I guess I didn't mean to blow up at her like that."

"Nah, don't apologize," the older woman whispered back. "If anything, I'm glad I got you in my corner. You don't seem to believe in that whole 'Wicked Stepmother' bullshit. And I'm glad for that."

Shark smiled, leading her the rest of the way to where his father was standing. After taking his place next to Dennis, he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye. The dark clothing and bright red hair was unmistakable.

Not believing that he actually came to the wedding, Shark tried to ignore him and focus on the wedding ceremony.

...

"Have fun on your honeymoon!" A few days after the wedding, Dennis and Blaise were all packed to go to France. Shark waved good-bye to them as they got into their taxi, which was returned.

He waited until they were well out of sight, then went back into the house. Shark was about to go in for a nap when the phone rang. He sighed, wondering why it had been so used lately.

"Yes?" The voice on the other end legitimately chilled his blood.

"How you doing?" Hearing Sinbad's voice caused Shark to tremble. He clutched his stomach in some attempt to see if he were dreaming.

"Sinbad...? Why are you calling? Why now?"

"You been getting the money I sent you? It ain't exactly child support, but..." Shark wished he had Caller ID so he could see where exactly Sinbad was calling from.

"I have been getting your money. I thought I told Dad to get you to stop sending it. I told you that you don't have to get involved with this baby."

"Yeah..." Sinbad paused briefly before continuing. "But I want to be. I ended up doing things I'd never thought I'd do. I took a second job, I quit smoking...fuck, you know how hard it is to get any sleep now?"

Not noticing it until now, the boy could hear definite slurring in his words. "So why go through all the trouble?"

"Because..." Another pause. "I know a guy. Well, he's my roommate, and...he's going through the same thing. Except he's trying to ignore it. Some goody-goody he is. Tries to act all high-and-mighty, and yet he cracks under pressure." Sinbad sighed. "I don't want to do the same shit he did. I got standards, you know?"

Listening to him talk made Shark realize that all he'd been doing was pushing him away the last few months. Deciding he needed a chance, he chose his words carefully.

"That one place where we did it...Can you meet me there?"

...

It had been the first time in several months that Shark had stood in the abandoned station. The place looked quite different in the daytime. He didn't know if Sinbad still had his room set up, and didn't want to go check.

"Maybe he's not actually coming..." Shark whispered to his stomach. Right after he said that, the door opened, revealing the man with the familiar scowl.

"Shit," Sinbad said with wide eyes, "you got huge." The outfit he wore indicated he had just come from a culinary job. "You sure you only got one brat in there?"

His fingers were twitching. Shark could only assume that was from nicotine withdrawal.

"I'm sure." He kept himself from running away, as Sinbad approached him and reached a hand out towards his belly. He then looked down as Sinbad got onto his knees. He felt his shirt being lifted up, and the older man's stubble rubbed against his skin.

"Hey," Sinbad murmured against the stomach. "How you doing in there? Sorry I ain't really been around for you. You all right?" The rubbing turned into nuzzling, then into kissing. Shark could feel a fluttering kick from inside him.

"I think it knows who you are." Sinbad then placed both his hands onto either side of the protruding belly.

"Yeah? That's great." Sinbad rested his forehead on Shark's stomach, and sighed. "Shit, I don't know if I'm ready for parenthood."

"That makes two of us." Shark looked off to the side, deciding that perhaps it was all right to say a little more about himself. "Did you know my dad got remarried?"

"He did, eh? I've been wondering where he'd gone off to. So he's off plowing your new mama's corn?" A snicker caused Shark to roll his eyes.

...

After returning to Shark's house, Sinbad resumed his loving on Shark's belly. However, now he was occasionally interrupted by himself yawning and rubbing his eyes.

Shark was concerned. "Sinbad? When's the last time you got any actual sleep?"

"Huh?" Sinbad's words seemed to run together. "Probably... Fuck, I don't remember. Sometimes I use my breaks at work to get a nap in or something. That's probably about it." He rubbed his cheek onto the boy's belly. Shark looked away.

"If that's true, then...If you want, you can spend the night here. You can call into work and take a day off, right?"

Sinbad nodded. "You cool with that?"

"Yeah, I am. My sister's off at boarding school, and Dad's off on his honeymoon. I'd appreciate the company. I think I can find one of my dad's old shirts you can use as pajamas."

A sigh came from Shark as he realized everything he said. Instead of speaking, Sinbad nodded again.


	8. Eight is Infinity

Disclaimer: Sims 3 belongs to EA/Maxis.

* * *

"Do not trust your Uncle Bill, boy! That man once slathered himself with mustard and whacked off to Hey Arnold."

"Okay, Dad," a thoroughly grossed out Shark said, "But how'd we get here from discussing plane schedules?"

Shark was on the phone with Dennis one morning, asking how the honeymoon was going. In the other room, Sinbad was struggling to figure out how the oven worked. With his ankles swelling, Shark decided it was best to stay in bed.

"Blaise and I wish we'd brought you along! You'd love it! Ah, well. You'll be glad with a few souvenirs, right?"

"That'd be great, Dad. I'll see you guys when you get back."

"Have a nice day, son."

...

School had dragged on for what felt like longer than usual. Besides the routine teasing about his stomach, though, it was nothing Shark couldn't handle. There were as many insults as there were requests to feel his belly.

It did feel awkward to waddle into the house after getting off the bus. Especially after seeing the inside.

"Hey Sinbad, I'm ho-ly shit!" The sight that greeted him was an unwelcome one. Brown and pink substances smeared the walls. The rinds of watermelons, a tipped-over box of firecrackers, and empty beer bottles were sitting on the floor. The redhead was laying on the couch in his underwear, watching some cheesy-looking action movie.

"Sinbad, what the hell happened here?" Sinbad craned his neck to see the boy standing in the middle of the room.

"Party. Big one." Shark face-palmed.

"I really don't need this...Sinbad, my dad's going to be home in a few hours. If he sees this mess, he's going to kill you!" Shark had gotten a text message from his father during school, stating that he and Blaise were on their way home.

"Not to worry. I got a decoy." Before Shark could ask what he meant, Sinbad went into the bedroom and dragged out another man. This new person had blonde hair, and a very odd clothing ensemble. There were several red splotches on his outfit and face.

Sinbad rather unceremoniously threw the unconscious person onto the couch. He then pulled out a cigar and stuck it into the other man's mouth. He then changed the channel to a rather disturbing pornography film. Then came a spritz of what was probably perfume.

"Uh...You sure that's plausible? Like, if Dad comes home, is that going to be convincing at all?"

Sinbad scoffed. "Dude's wearing stilettos and a tutu that smells like cat piss. He's covered in a whole jar of spaghetti sauce. I got about half a day's worth of porn TiVo'd up. What do you want me to do, draw dicks on his face?"

Shark stared blankly at the confession. "You were watching porn on my TV? And how long has he been here?"

The redhead looked over at the passed out blond. "Not too long. I haven't been home for a while, so he came looking for me. Knocked his ass out when he came here." Sinbad then searched for a phone hidden in a pair of pants that obviously weren't his.

"Now to create some memories..." Sinbad took hold of the phone, and began texting someone. "To Jenni: I'm dumping you for Amy. Love: Goodwin." After pressing a few more buttons, he grinned maniacally. "Now we wait."

"You're an evil man, Sinbad," Shark muttered. Sinbad simply nodded.

"And proud of it." The older man then took hold of his shirt and slipped it on. "Now let's get out of here before he wakes up."

...

The new house Shark had been brought to was completely different. A small TV was situated on one side of the room. At least four doors led to other rooms. He sat down at a table while Sinbad busied himself with fiddling with the cheap-looking stove.

"Aren't you afraid you'll get in trouble? I mean, you said he was your roommate and all." Sinbad shook his head.

"Nah. He started it, anyway. Speaking of which..." Sinbad then glanced at his watch. "I figure his girlfriend got the message by this point. And I'm pretty sure the meltdown will come right about...now!"

At that very moment, Shark began hearing a hysterical shrieking coming from next door. It was then followed by a door slam, and a car starting up. The boy could only wonder what sort of drama was about to unfold.

"You like omelets? I'll make you one, and I'll think about promising not to spit in it." Shark shrugged. Though he wasn't hungry, he didn't mind something in his stomach other than what Sinbad put inside him.

...

The two were laying in Sinbad's bed some time later when they heard the front door open. Almost immediately, there was hollering and name-calling, and accusations.

"You cheating jerk! She's my best friend! I'm pregnant with your baby! How long has this been going on?! Were you so stressed over all this that you had to sleep with her?! When's the last time you were with her, huh?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I've never slept with her at all!"

"Lies! You're a liar! You're a stupid, lying cheater! I'm breaking up with you instead!" The vitriolic exchange went on, with Shark listening to it escalate. He heard it go back and forth until he felt a pair of hands cover his ears.

"Just trust me, man," Sinbad murmured as he leaned in closer. "That relationship was gonna crash and burn sooner or later. Figured I'd maybe throw some gasoline on the flames and get it over with." He slid down towards Shark's belly and rested his head onto it.

"Look at this! There have been no messages whatsoever of that nature! And Amy's on vacation in Egypt! What you are accusing me of is impossible to have been done!" A few moments of silence ensued, followed by a gasp.

"Oh, my gosh! I didn't know, I'm sorry! I guess I just flew off the handle!"

"That's wonderful, but now that I know what kind of woman you really are, you're free to follow through on your threat! Get out, and don't talk to me ever again!" A door slammed somewhere in the house. Shark then heard what sounded like weeping.

He then looked down at the redhead nuzzling his stomach. "Don't you think that was a little too cruel?"

"I dunno. Better it be now, than when that kid's growing up in a few years."

"Then what about this one?" Shark placed a hand on his stomach. "Are we going to have the same kind of argument like they just did?"

"Probably not."

Shark cringed. "What makes you so sure?" Upon asking the question, Shark watched Sinbad make eye contact with him.

"'Cause unlike Goodwin, I actually want this kid."


	9. Number Nine Number Nine

Disclaimer: I don't own Sims 3.

* * *

It was very early in the morning when Shark jumped awake in a sweat. His latest nightmare involved being burned to death by the angry town. He heard names like 'whore', 'slut', 'loser', and so many other insults. He snapped out of it right before the flames engulfed him.

His fearful weeping was apparently louder than he thought. Shark heard the door open, and saw his father and stepmother looking in on him.

"Had a bad dream, boy?" Shark could only nod as he felt the tears roll down his cheeks. He wiped his face and winced when he felt a kick to his ribs. Apparently, his unborn child could sense he had a nightmare as well.

...

"Can someone get the phone? I'm in the can!" Blaise was in the middle of preparing dinner for everyone when the phone rang, for about the fifth time today. She looked over at Shark and motioned with her head.

"I got it, Dad!" The moment Shark picked it up and said hello, the verbal torrent started.

"Shark, where's your father? I need to talk with your father! Is he home? It's important! I need to talk to him right now!" Shark's mother had never sounded so frantic before. She'd already called four times before, each call in the same vein as this one. Dennis specifically said that if she called, Shark or Blaise had to think of some excuse.

"No, he's not home. I think he's at the store." Shark then hung up without saying good-bye.

...

Later that evening, Shark was on the verge of falling asleep when he heard a loud crashing in the other room. In his half-asleep state, he'd assumed something fell down.

It wasn't until he began to hear screeching that he realized it was something worse. It was followed by vicious insults.

"You bitch! You stole my husband from me!" Silver's normally raspy voice rang out in a fury, causing him to sit upright in bed. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and got up. Quietly, he opened the door a crack.

"Where's my daughter?! You got rid of my daughter! You took my husband and my children from me! You ruined my life!" Blaise was on the floor, wrestling with Silver. Dennis stood some distance away, trying not to get involved.

"I didn't take jack shit from you, you dumbfuck! You divorced him! I didn't come into all this until after you left!"

"Lies! Lies! You liar! You stole from me and lied about it! I'm gonna rip your throat out and feed it to rabid dogs, you flame-haired whore!" It wasn't until they lifted their arms up that Shark saw the knife.

He watched as Dennis quickly, yet quietly made his way to the phone. He dialed the emergency number, then began nodding. Shark could vaguely hear the name "Dudley", Dennis' eldest brother.

Not wanting the situation to get any worse before the police arrived, Shark flung the door opened and confronted the fighting women.

"Stop! Get off of her! Leave my mom alone!" The boy ignored the sudden pain shooting through his abdomen. The two women stopped to look at him, before Blaise kicked Silver off of her.

"Shark!" A grin began to make its way across Silver's face. "I knew you'd be in my corner! Tell your father's new wife how much of a thieving slut she is!"

The word 'slut' caused Shark to grit his teeth. "No! Because she isn't! And I'm not!" The smile then faded.

"You...Oh, you traitorous little...! I am your mother! I gave birth to you! I demand and deserve respect!" She raised the knife, and he wrapped his arms protectively around his belly.

"That doesn't mean a thing! So you gave birth to me! Then what? You're a lousy mother! You're so lousy, I don't think I can even call you my mother!" Another shot of pain. Shark rubbed his stomach, and stood his ground. "All I see is my dad's crazy ex-wife trying to stab my new mother!"

Silver pointed her knife at him. "You take that back!"

"I don't need to, Silver!" Just as Silver lunged at her son, she was tackled to the floor, Blaise now holding her down to the floor. In a twist of good timing, the police cars were outside.

...

The whole time the police were questioning Blaise, Dennis and Shark sat on the porch steps. Silver was in the back of a squad car, shrieking her head off and spewing profanities at everyone she was looking at.

"She tried to stab me and my husband. Then she tried stabbin' my husband's kid. You, uh...Yeah, that lady's psycho." Blaise shook her head. "Normally, I ain't one to use perks and shit, but...think maybe you could put her away for a real long time?"

Officer Dudley nodded. He was quite familiar with his crime family's ways. He wasn't so familiar to seeing his youngest brother getting out as well and remarrying. If anything, he was glad to fulfill his new sister-in-law's wish.

"Sounds like your mother's gonna be sent to prison." Dennis rubbed his son's back as they watched the police cars drive away. Shark nodded, grimacing at the sudden tight feeling he was experiencing. This didn't go unnoticed.

"You all right, boy?" Blaise took her place next to the two men, seeing the same thing Dennis was.

Shark tried to smile, but it wasn't convincing. He took a deep breath, quite sure he knew what was happening now. He wanted to kick himself for not noticing it during the scuffle.

"Uh, well...I kind of hoped we had enough excitement for one night, but..." The pain worsened slightly. He held his stomach, and looked at the worried faces of his father and stepmother. "Don't want to freak you out, but... I think the baby's coming."

...

In what seemed like record time, Shark and his parents were at the hospital. Shortly after arriving, Dennis managed to get a room set up so his son could rest before the awaited grandchild was brought into the world.

"They're talking C-section," Blaise said as she and Dennis sat next to Shark, who lay in bed. "Ya know what that is, right? They cut the kid out of you. They do it right, it shouldn't hurt." She scoffed. "But hey, I ain't had kids of my own before, so what do I know?"

Shark nodded. He was grateful to have his parents there, comforting him and rubbing his back when a contraction hit. When not dealing with anything labor-related, he watched TV or did other things.

"How you doing, boy? You want me to call Sinbad?" Dennis held his phone out, with the list of contacts visible. Shark looked over at him with tired eyes.

"I have to pee. And go ahead. I don't know what he's going to do if you tell him, but...sure." As soon as Dennis walked out into the hall, yet another contraction started up. Shark grit his teeth as he held on. He tried holding in any screaming. Without noticing it right away, he felt a warm spot on the hospital bed.

"Aw, dammit..." Blaise's eyes widened. She'd likely never thought she'd see her stepson soil himself in any way.

"And please do not run over any pedestrians on the way here, Mister Rotter." Dennis hung up and saw the scene. Shark sat up and gave his father a miserable look.

"Good lord, boy! I ain't seen that much yellow snow ingredient since that time you pissed on your grandpa's jock straps!"

"I keep telling you, Dad, that wasn't me!" The pregnant boy whined. "Uncle Bill framed me when I was six! Don't bring that up with me when I'm about to have your grandkid hacked out of me!"

He then covered his face with his hands. "Speaking of which...When are we going to get me there? I kind of don't want to be laying in my own piss when it finally happens."

"Soon, boy. Now just try to get some rest. Blaise and I will get one of the nurses to clean you up later."

...

True to Dennis' word, Shark could feel a sponge and cool water on his thighs later. He did have to get up first so the sheets could be changed, but then came what was practically heaven to him.

After that came the attempts to nap. The contractions were very unwelcome distractions. Then came the epidural. Shark hated needles, especially ones that jabbed into his spine. He was at least grateful that sleep came easier for him after that.

"Waiting for a c-section sucks." Shark knew he was whining, but he was getting impatient. He so desperately wanted to meet his baby.

After yet another attempt to get sleep, another interruption came in the form of a not entirely unwelcome voice.

"Is the kid here yet?" Instead of tobacco, Shark could smell fresh flowers and cheese pizza. He saw Sinbad out in the hallway, talking to the other two adults. Dennis shook his head.

"Don't be talking to me, sir. Talk to the one in the room." Just as Sinbad stepped foot into the room, Shark felt yet another contraction start up. He restrained himself and tried to smile.

"Hey. Uh..." Sinbad looked down at the armful of items. "I guess I got all this for you." Shark couldn't help but notice most of the flowers were carnations and roses. A food carrier gave off a freshly made aroma. "But don't eat this till that brat's out."

Shark nodded, then laid back and waited out the wave of pain.

...

"Good luck, Sharky!" Blaise waved as she and Dennis watched Shark be wheeled to the operating room. Shark slowly raised his arm in response. He then looked over at Sinbad, who had scrubbed up shortly before the nurses arrived.

"Sinbad," he whispered, "I'm scared. Are you?" The redhead looked down at him, his mouth obscured by a face mask.

"I'm fucking terrified, man." He ran a gloved thumb over Shark's cheek. His hand then traveled upwards to Shark's hair, and tucked it behind his ear. The two then looked up to see the doors to the operating room approaching, and started bracing themselves.


End file.
